West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-04-15

est protection to local traffic and
does not prevent Determinations as
TO shipments between points within
the same State The principles of
the Interstate Commerce bill being
applied to all transportation which
crosses a State line, il is perfectly
evident that the same principle
ought to prevail respecting traffic
between different points in the same
State. The local business ON rail
road is of far greater importance to
our home people than that charse-
ter of business which is placed an
der the supervision of the Federal
commissioners. There is every reas-
on why the principles Congress has
applied to Inter State Commerce
should be applied to our domestic
transportation, and no one can pos
sibly suggest why they should not
be. A very simple law would give
our own home people the benefit of
these principles. Let the Legisla-
ture pass a law, in substance as fol-
lows:
BE it enacted, That the provis-
ions Of the Inter-S State Commerce
bill, so far as applicable to transpor-
tation which does not cross State
lines, be, and the same are hereby
declared, in force in this State.
An enactment of this character,
simple and brief as it is, would be
worth many millions to our home
people, and would Immediately place
West Virginia on the high road to
prosperity.
The Federal law appoints four
Commissioners, it will be sufficient
for us to appoint only one; and he
should be charged with substantial
" the same duties, but not with all
the powers, Congress has given to
the Federal Commissioners. The
main object in view, is to furnish an
intelligent official of the State who
will take the trouble to investigate
complaints made by persons sus
tanning damage by reason OF the un-
lawful practices of railroad man
ayers. These unlawful practices
will cease the moment it becomes
known that they win be investigated
and exposed.
Respecting the compensation OF
the commissioner, he should be paid
literally, By the hour, for the time
he is exclusively employed in the
performance of any official act. 1t
is not necessary to give himsa fixed
salary, because it is unlikely that
all of his time will be occupied.
The chief argument for Mr.. Cam
den has been that he advocated the
short-haul amendment and assisted
to pass the Interstate Commerce bill.
The Federal law does not touch the
Ohio river railroad, or the road from
Clarksburg to Buchanan, and it
will he interesting to observe
whether Mr.. Camden's supporters
are now willing to give our home
people, living along his roads, the
benefit OF the principles which are
applied to Interstate traffic. FIX
Senator Davis recently printed an
interview to express his opinion that
West Virginia should have a rail
road commission. The act Of Con-
oress does not affect the local bust
ness on Mr.. Davis road, and we are
anxious to see whether he is willing
to give the people, who wish to make
use Of the highway under his con-
troll the benefit OF that protection
which Congress has given to per
sons whose shipments are to and
from points without the State
We predict that there will be
great opposition to any legislation
on this subject. The preJense will
be, that our Legislature should de
lay action until the Federal Com
mission have established regulations
to enforce the law Of Congress. This
pretense may hOOdwink the igno-
rant, but all intelligent men will
readily comprehend that the only
object is to gain delay. 1t is evident
that if such law, as above indica-
ted, be passed, its operation and its
enforcement will, ofnecessity, depend
npOn, and be subordinate to, the
proceedings of the Federal Commits
son. As a matter of course, the con-
duet OF our State Commissioner
would be controlled by, and would